scholarly journals Approaches to nanostructure control and functionalizations of polymer@silica hybrid nanograss generated by biomimetic silica mineralization on a self-assembled polyamine layer

2011 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
pp. 760-773 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jian-Jun Yuan ◽  
Ren-Hua Jin

We report the rational control of the nanostructure and surface morphology of a polyamine@silica nanoribbon-based hybrid nanograss film, which was generated by performing a biomimetic silica mineralization reaction on a nanostructured linear polyethyleneimine (LPEI) layer preorganized on the inner wall of a glass tube. We found that the film thickness, size and density of the nanoribbons and the aggregation/orientation of the nanoribbons in the film were facile to tune by simple adjustment of the biomimetic silicification conditions and LPEI self-assembly on the substrate. Our LPEI-mediated nanograss process allows the facile and programmable generation of a wide range of nanostructures and surface morphologies without the need for complex molecular design or tedious techniques. This ribbon-based nanograss has characteristics of a LPEI@silica hybrid structure, suggesting that LPEI, as a polymeric secondary amine, is available for subsequent chemical reaction. This feature was exploited to functionalize the nanograss film with three representative species, namely porphyrin, Au nanoparticles and titania. Of particular note, the novel silica@titania composite nanograss surface demonstrated the ability to convert its wetting behavior between the extreme states (superhydrophobic–superhydrophilic) by surface hydrophobic treatment and UV irradiation. The anatase titania component in the nanograss film acts as a highly efficient photocatalyst for the decomposition of the low-surface-energy organic components attached to the nanosurface. The ease with which the nanostructure can be controlled and facilely functionalized makes our nanograss potentially important for device-based application in microfluidic, microreactor and biomedical fields.

Author(s):  
David C Joy

The electron source is the most important component of the Scanning electron microscope (SEM) since it is this which will determine the overall performance of the machine. The gun performance can be described in terms of quantities such as its brightness, its source size, its energy spread, and its stability and, depending on the chosen application, any of these factors may be the most significant one. The task of the electron gun in an SEM is, in fact, particularly difficult because of the very wide range of operational parameters that may be required e.g a variation in probe size of from a few angstroms to a few microns, and a probe current which may go from less than a pico-amp to more than a microamp. This wide range of operating parameters makes the choice of the optimum source for scanning microscopy a difficult decision.Historically, the first step up from the sealed glass tube ‘cathode ray generator’ was the simple, diode, tungsten thermionic emitter.


2012 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 43 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hueyling Tan

Molecular self-assembly is ubiquitous in nature and has emerged as a new approach to produce new materials in chemistry, engineering, nanotechnology, polymer science and materials. Molecular self-assembly has been attracting increasing interest from the scientific community in recent years due to its importance in understanding biology and a variety of diseases at the molecular level. In the last few years, considerable advances have been made in the use ofpeptides as building blocks to produce biological materials for wide range of applications, including fabricating novel supra-molecular structures and scaffolding for tissue repair. The study ofbiological self-assembly systems represents a significant advancement in molecular engineering and is a rapidly growing scientific and engineering field that crosses the boundaries ofexisting disciplines. Many self-assembling systems are rangefrom bi- andtri-block copolymers to DNA structures as well as simple and complex proteins andpeptides. The ultimate goal is to harness molecular self-assembly such that design andcontrol ofbottom-up processes is achieved thereby enabling exploitation of structures developed at the meso- and macro-scopic scale for the purposes oflife and non-life science applications. Such aspirations can be achievedthrough understanding thefundamental principles behind the selforganisation and self-synthesis processes exhibited by biological systems.


Nanomaterials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 1001
Author(s):  
Rui Huang ◽  
David C. Luther ◽  
Xianzhi Zhang ◽  
Aarohi Gupta ◽  
Samantha A. Tufts ◽  
...  

Nanoparticles (NPs) provide multipurpose platforms for a wide range of biological applications. These applications are enabled through molecular design of surface coverages, modulating NP interactions with biosystems. In this review, we highlight approaches to functionalize nanoparticles with ”small” organic ligands (Mw < 1000), providing insight into how organic synthesis can be used to engineer NPs for nanobiology and nanomedicine.


Soft Matter ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhiqiang Zhao ◽  
Zheng Bian ◽  
Yu Chen ◽  
Chuanqing Kang ◽  
Lianxun Gao ◽  
...  

Chiral oligo(methylene-p-phenyleneethynylene)s can form vesicular assemblies no matter whether side chains and solvents are hydrophilic or hydrophobic. The self-assembly processes are highly independent of molecular design and chemical environments.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chaojian Chen ◽  
Manjesh Kumar Singh ◽  
Katrin Wunderlich ◽  
Sean Harvey ◽  
Colette J. Whitfield ◽  
...  

AbstractThe creation of synthetic polymer nanoobjects with well-defined hierarchical structures is important for a wide range of applications such as nanomaterial synthesis, catalysis, and therapeutics. Inspired by the programmability and precise three-dimensional architectures of biomolecules, here we demonstrate the strategy of fabricating controlled hierarchical structures through self-assembly of folded synthetic polymers. Linear poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) of different lengths are folded into cyclic polymers and their self-assembly into hierarchical structures is elucidated by various experimental techniques and molecular dynamics simulations. Based on their structural similarity, macrocyclic brush polymers with amphiphilic block side chains are synthesized, which can self-assemble into wormlike and higher-ordered structures. Our work points out the vital role of polymer folding in macromolecular self-assembly and establishes a versatile approach for constructing biomimetic hierarchical assemblies.


2013 ◽  
Vol 58 (4) ◽  
pp. 927-931 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xu Wu ◽  
Xiaoxin Cai ◽  
Ahui Hao ◽  
Jinben Wang

1992 ◽  
Vol 277 ◽  
Author(s):  
Geoffrey A. Ozin ◽  
Carol L. Bowes ◽  
Mark R. Steele

ABSTRACTVarious MOCVD (metal-organic chemical vapour deposition) type precursors and their self-assembled semiconductor nanocluster products [1] have been investigated in zeolite Y hosts. From analysis of in situ observations (FTIR, UV-vis reflectance, Mössbauer, MAS-NMR) of the reaction sequences and structural features of the precursors and products (EXAFS and Rietveld refinement of powder XRD data) the zeolite is viewed as providing a macrospheroidal, multidendate coordination environment towards encapsulated guests. By thinking about the α- and β-cages of the zeolite Y host effectively as a zeolate ligand composed of interconnected aluminosilicate “crown ether-like” building blocks, the materials chemist is able to better understand and exploit the reactivity and coordination properties of the zeolite internal surface for the anchoring and self-assembly of a wide range of encapsulated guests. This approach helps with the design of synthetic strategies for creating novel guest-host inclusion compounds having possible applications in areas of materials science such as nonlinear optics, quantum electronics, and size/shape selective catalysis.


2011 ◽  
Vol 2011 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
David M. Smith ◽  
Verena Schüller ◽  
Carsten Forthmann ◽  
Robert Schreiber ◽  
Philip Tinnefeld ◽  
...  

Nanometer-sized polyhedral wire-frame objects hold a wide range of potential applications both as structural scaffolds as well as a basis for synthetic nanocontainers. The utilization of DNA as basic building blocks for such structures allows the exploitation of bottom-up self-assembly in order to achieve molecular programmability through the pairing of complementary bases. In this work, we report on a hollow but rigid tetrahedron framework of 75 nm strut length constructed with the DNA origami method. Flexible hinges at each of their four joints provide a means for structural variability of the object. Through the opening of gaps along the struts, four variants can be created as confirmed by both gel electrophoresis and direct imaging techniques. The intrinsic site addressability provided by this technique allows the unique targeted attachment of dye and/or linker molecules at any point on the structure's surface, which we prove through the superresolution fluorescence microscopy technique DNA PAINT.


2008 ◽  
Vol 1087 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marco Palumbo ◽  
Simon J. Henley ◽  
Thierry Lutz ◽  
Vlad Stolojan ◽  
David Cox ◽  
...  

AbstractRecent results in the use of Zinc Oxide (ZnO) nano/submicron crystals in fields as diverse as sensors, UV lasers, solar cells, piezoelectric nanogenerators and light emitting devices have reinvigorated the interest of the scientific community in this material. To fully exploit the wide range of properties offered by ZnO, a good understanding of the crystal growth mechanism and related defects chemistry is necessary. However, a full picture of the interrelation between defects, processing and properties has not yet been completed, especially for the ZnO nanostructures that are now being synthesized. Furthermore, achieving good control in the shape of the crystal is also a very desirable feature based on the strong correlation there is between shape and properties in nanoscale materials. In this paper, the synthesis of ZnO nanostructures via two alternative aqueous solution methods - sonochemical and hydrothermal - will be presented, together with the influence that the addition of citric anions or variations in the concentration of the initial reactants have on the ZnO crystals shape. Foreseen applications might be in the field of sensors, transparent conductors and large area electronics possibly via ink-jet printing techniques or self-assembly methods.


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